But that doesn't mean Paul and the other advisers you might encounter on the Money Bus are cheerleaders for the economy. They just want to provide historical perspective on the current situation and give people tools to help them get through tough times.

"There's such a day-to-day perspective right now, and a lot of financial consumers get bombarded on a daily basis with bad news about Ponzi schemes and layoffs and kickbacks," he says. "I think it's just time to step back and take a longer-term perspective on things."

So Paul and other advisers will spend five hours answering your questions, with an emphasis on financial education, debt management, saving money and budgeting.

How in-depth they get will depend on how many people show up, but it couldn't hurt to check it out.

To learn more, go online to www.yourmoneybus.com, or just stop by the library on April 3 and say hi to Paul. After all, the advice and information he provides will be free. And it's all too rare to get something — especially something this valuable — for nothing these days.

Or, if you have financial questions or comments for me, send them to gkratz@desnews.com or to the Deseret News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.

E-MAIL: gkratz@desnews.com